Patience Before Judgement

الْحَكَمُ

Al-Ḥakam — The Judge

أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَبْتَغِي حَكَمًا وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكِتَابَ مُفَصَّلًا ۚ

Shall I seek other than Allah for judge, when He it is Who hath revealed unto you (this) Scripture, fully explained? Those unto whom We gave the Scripture (aforetime) know that it is revealed from thy Lord in truth. So be not thou (O Muhammad) of the waverers

Surah Al-An'ām (6:114)

Intention

Today, I will catch myself before passing final judgement on anyone and remember that I do not have the full picture.

Reflection

Al-Ḥakam is The Judge — the only One qualified to issue final verdicts on people. In relationships, patience often means refusing to be the judge. Refusing to deliver final verdicts on people's character based on a single incident. Refusing to condemn permanently. Human judgement is always premature because human knowledge is always incomplete. Let Al-Ḥakam judge. Your job is patience, mercy, and leaving room for people to surprise you.

On this verse

The question is rhetorical: who else could possibly judge? The One who revealed the Book — the complete, detailed criterion — is the only qualified judge.

Du'a

Part of the du'a the Prophet (peace be upon him) would say when opening the night prayer — surrendering all judgement to the only qualified Judge before standing in worship.

Hadith

ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'Put the best interpretation on your brother's word until you find something that turns it away from good.'

— Reported by ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb; al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab al-Īmān 8714